1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to a container, and more particularly to an induction actuated container comprising a door panel which can be swung open through a sideward movement thereof for minimizing an accessible-height restriction of the container.
2. Description of Related Arts
A conventional container, such as an automatic trash can, usually comprises a container body having a storage cavity, a cover seat having a trash opening provided on top of the container body, and an automated actuation system typically comprising an actuation unit and a cover panel operatively communicated with the actuation unit for being moved between an opened position and a closed position, wherein in the opened position, the cover panel is pivotally and upwardly moved to expose the trash opening to an exterior of the container so as to allow a user to dispose trash into the storage cavity, wherein in the closed position, the cover panel is pivotally and downwardly moved to completely cover the trash opening so as to block access between the storage cavity and an exterior thereof. The actuation unit usually comprises a power device, such as a motor operatively connected to the cover panel, and a sensor positioned on the cover seat in such a manner that when the sensor detects an object or a physical movement above the cover seat, the sensor will send a signal to actuate the power device for moving the cover panel from the closed position to the opened position.
This kind of conventional container suffers from a number of disadvantages. First, in order to move from the closed position to the opened position, the cover panel is usually designed to be moved pivotally and upwardly from the cover seat. This requires substantial space right above the cover seat for it to be pivotally and upwardly driven for allowing exposure of the trash opening. In other words, the conventional container cannot be stored in a compartment having a height less than that of the container when the cover panel is at the opened position. This requirement substantially reduces the number of suitable places available for storing such a conventional container.
Second, since the cover panel is required to move from the closed position to the opened position by the pivotal upward movement, the user must allow the cover panel to have moved upwardly before he or she can dispose the trash into the storage cavity. This impart substantial inconvenience to the user in that he or she has to hold the trash (at a distance from the cover seat) and wait the cover panel to complete the upward pivotal movement every time he or she wishes to dispose the trash into the storage cavity.
Third, the majority of automatic trash cans described above are pre-programmed to allow opening of the trash opening for a predetermined period of time. In other words, the storage cavity will only be opened for receiving trash for a predetermined and limited period of time and the cover panel will be driven to move back to the closed position when that predetermined period of time lapses. Thus, there is no way for the user to adjust that predetermined period of time in order to allow the cover panel to stay at the opened position for an extended or an optimal period of time. This also impart substantial inconvenience to the user, especially when he or she is doing something (such as cleaning his or her house) which requires that the trash opening to be opened for an extended period of time. Whenever the cover panel has moved back to the closed position, the user has to restart the sensing process and wait for the cover panel to be driven to move to the opened position again.